The Sexist Way That Prosecutors Portray Women in Court

By Rachel Louise Snyder

Ms. Snyder is a contributing Opinion writer.

In 2004, during the trial for the murder of an Oklahoma man named Rob Andrew, the prosecutor dangled a pair of red thong underwear belonging to his wife, Brenda Andrew, in front of the jury. Ms. Andrew was accused of orchestrating the shooting that killed her husband. As a piece of evidence, the underwear was irrelevant to the case, but as an image it was potent. It said to the jury that this woman, with her provocative undergarments, will trespass the boundaries of marital vow and bed, so then every boundary, including taking a life, must be breachable to her.

The jury convicted Ms. Andrew and sentenced her to........

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